Blinken urges Hamas to accept US peace proposal

Hamas has been declared a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union.

Earlier Monday, Blinken said the latest bid for the deal is probably the best and last option, so he urged both sides to accept the proposal.

The talks in Qatar last week ended without any progress, but they are expected to resume this week given a proposal by the United States for the approach to positions between Israel and Hamas.

“During a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, he confirmed that Israel accepts the proposal for the approach to positions and that it supports it”, Blinken told journalists at Tel Aviv.

He added that now “is up to Hamas to do the same”.

Then, the parties, with the help of the mediators of the United States, Egypt and Qatar, must unite and complete the process for achieving clear understanding of how they will implement the obligations they have made with this”, he said.

Despite the US's expression of optimism and the description of the meeting as positive from Netanyah's office, Israel and Hamas have hinted it would be difficult to reach the agreement.

Monthly-long talks have been held about the same issues. Israel says war can only be ended after Hamas is destroyed as political and military force, while Hamas says he will only accept permanent ceasefire, not temporary.

The Gaza War began on October 7th last year when the Hamas militants stormed south of Israel and killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250 others, according to Israeli officials.

As a result of the Israeli war, parts of the Gaza Belt have become ground level, and at least 40,000 people have been killed, according to health authorities in enclaves. /rel